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Jericho is considered the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, and it appears throughout both the Old and New Testaments.
Set deep in the Jordan Valley, well below sea level, Jericho has been inhabited for around ten thousand years. In the Bible it is the city whose walls fell before Joshua, and the town where Jesus healed the blind man and called Zacchaeus down from the sycamore tree.
Its ancient ruins, warm climate, and desert setting make it one of the most atmospheric stops in the Holy Land.
The Mount of Temptation is the mountain above Jericho where tradition says Jesus fasted for 40 days and was tempted by the devil.
A monastery clings dramatically to the cliff face partway up the mountain, reached today by a cable car with wide views across the Jordan Valley. The stark desert here makes the temptation account feel immediate and real.
What happened at Jericho in the Bible?
Joshua's army circled Jericho until its walls collapsed, and centuries later Jesus healed and taught here on his way to Jerusalem. It is where faith brought down walls, and where Jesus reached out to the blind and the outcast.
Yes. As the oldest city on earth, with strong biblical ties and the Mount of Temptation above it, it is a memorable stop, especially on the way between Jerusalem and the Jordan or Galilee.
Jericho is a regular, well-established stop on guided pilgrimages. As with all travel here, your licensed guide reads conditions and plans accordingly.
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